Apparatus for conditioning air with ice



Dec. 30, I941. KAUFMAN 2,267,738

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR WITH ICE Filed Feb. 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l F/(LZ 4 INVENTOR. 799% M Dec. 30, 1941. H. J. KAUFMAN APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR WITH ICE Filed Feb. 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN'I 'OR.

Dec. 30,1941.

H. J. KAUFMAN APPARATUS FOR connimoumcfun WITH ICE Filed Feb. 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2 R Q AA 3 F i Q QM K aw R INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 30, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR COIDEDITIONIN G AIR WITH 10 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for conditioning air with ice and particularly to portable apparatus which uses broken, crushed or flake ice for dehumidifying and cooling air.

The main object of the invention is to provide simple apparatus which uses ice, ice waterand waste water in an efficient manner for dehumidifying and cooling air.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be regulated to control the amount of sensible heat or sensible and latent heat removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which uses brine ice to produce extremely dry and extremely cold air for manufacturing purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that is largely self cleaning and self draining and which will require a small amount of attention.

The common methods of using ice for dehumidifying and cooling purposes are limited to a large extent to using the latent heat of the ice without provision for utilizing the specific heat of the ice water and without any control of the relative humidity of the air being cooled, and which in some cases may be increased instead of decreased due to the air contacting ice water having a temperature higher than that of the dew pointor saturation temperature of the air being cooled.

My invention provides for the counteriiow oi the air with the ice, ice water and waste water so that the entering air first contacts the waste water indirectly, then a variable portion of the air contacts the ice water directly and indirectly and the solid ice directly, while the other variable portion of the air contacts the solid ice indirectly. These portions of the air are regulated to control humidity and are mixed before being discharged into the room with the total amount of air being nearly constant. Dehumidification is accomplished by contacting the air with surfaces having a temperature lower than that of the dewpoint or saturation temperature of the air, while cooling is accomplished by contacting the air with surfaces having a temperature lower than that of the air. The specific heat of a pound of air is approximately 0.24 B. t. u., while the latent heat of a pound of water vapor in theair is approximately 1050 B. t. u., it is therefore necessary to produce comfort conditions with the minimum amount of dehumidification and the maximum amount of cooling in order to attain economical operation. The latent heat. of a pound of water ice is 144 B. t. u. and the specific heat of a pound of ice water is approximately 1.0 B. t.u. If the ice water is increased in temperature from 32 degrees to degrees, due to absorbing heat from the room air, assuming the temperature of the room to be 80 degrees, then the ice water will absorb 48 B. t. u. per pound, or one third of that due to the melting of the ice. The degree of economy is indicated by the relation of the temperature of the waste water to that of the air entering the apparatus, which is room air. The temperature of the waste water from apparatus of this kind has been only eight degrees lower than the temperature of the air in the room when the apparatus was discharging air having a saturation temperature of thirty three degrees and when using water ice as the cooling and dehumidifying medium. It is noted that the Water is wasted from the surface of the waste water tank through the overflow pipe in order to Waste the warmest water which is at the top with the coldest water settling to the bottom of the Waste water storage tank. When air is cooled by contact with a comparatively low temperature surface, the degree of dehumidification is greater and the air has a lower relative humidity than when cooling by contact with a comparatively high temperature surface due to the greater diiference in vapor pressure between that of the air and that of the cooling surface.

The advantages of ice as compared to cooling coils for dehumidification at freezing temperatures is due to the melting of the ice surfaces thereby presenting fresh and colder surfaces to contact the air and washing away of the impurities absorbed from the air, whereas in the case of refrigerated coils, ice is added to the surfaces of the coils along with the impurities removed from the air and this accumulation has an insulating effect and reduces the efiiciency of the cooling coils.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of the cylindrical damper 44 and a portion of the inner shell 43.

Figure 2 is an elevation of a cabinet enclosing the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the cylindrical damper 44, and Figure 4 is a part section of the inner cylindrical shell 43 and the Waste water tank 38.

Figure 5 is a vertical section of the removable top frame 16 with the fan and motor attached.

Figure 6 is a vertical section of the apparatus to andthe enclosing cabinet.

or crushed ice 50 by removing the top frame 18 and the removable frame 52.

The action of the fan 18 draws air from the room into the space 49 through the holes 35, then all or a portion of the air is drawn upward through the space 49 and through the screen 5| into the space 83, and all or a portion of the air is drawn through the holes 45 of the cylindrical damper 44 and through the holes 4? of the inner shell 43, over the plate 6i between the plates 8! to 81, inclusive, and upward through the holes 8'! and 88 of the said plates 62 to 81 in a stag- Referring particularly to Figure 6; the enclos- I ing upper shell 38 has the band 3! at the upper end, the damper lever hole 32 and rests on the enclosing lower shell 33 and inside of the band 34, which is attached to the said lower shell 33. The said lower shell 33 has the radial air inlet holes 35, the band 36 at the lower end and the frame 31, which is attached to the inside for supporting the waste water tank 38. The said waste water tank 38 has the overflow waste pipe 39 for normal operation and the drain 4!] set at a lower level. Both the overflow pipe and the drain are closed off by means of the caps 4|. The said waste water tank 38 has the band 42 at the top to hold the inner shell 43 in place and to provide a base or track for the cylindrical damper 44 to rotate on. The said cylindrical damper 44 has the radial air inlet holes 45 and is rotated on its axis by means of the knob 48 to open or close the radial air inlet holes 41 in the said inner shell 43. The upper portion of the said inner shell 43 is covered with the insulating material 48, which is of a type and thickness sufficient to prevent the air passing upward in the space 49 from being cooled below its dew point or saturation temperature when the said inner shell 43 is filled with the pieces of ice 59. The top of the air space 49 is covered with the fine mesh wire screen 5! which builds up regered direction, through the circular deflector H, up through the fixed air passages 74 in contact with the pieces of ice 59, through the perforated caps 15, through the holes 53 of the removable frame '52 and through the holes 55 of the circusistance to force the air through the air inlet holes 41. into the inner shell 43 and upward through the air passages 14 in the inner shell 43. The said circular wire screen 5| is attached to the said inner shell 43. The top of the said inner shell 43 is covered by the removable circular frame 52 with the holes 53 and to which is attached the circular damper 54, having the holes 55, by means of the pivot 56. The said pivot 56 is loosely attached to the said removable frame 52 and the said circular damper 54 is rotated around the said pivot 56 by means of the handle '51.

The inner shell 43 hasthe clip angles 58 attached near the bottom edge and the bolts 59 with the nuts 58 support the plate 6|, which supports the perforated plates 62, 63, 64, B5, 66, and 8'! by means of the bolts 68, the nuts 69 and the ferrules 10. The said inner shell 43 has the circular'deflector H with the notched drip edge 12 and above this a grid of coarse wire cloth T3 to which are attached the fixed cylindrical air passages formed of wire cloth 14 with the caps 15 formed of the same material.

Figure 5 shows the removable top frame 13 and the air outlet grille H, the fan 78 driven by the electric motor 19, which is attached by the bolts 83'and the nuts 8i to the bracket 82, which is attached to the said top frame 75. Electric power is supplied to the motor 1'9 by means of tlge wires 83 and 84 and controlled by the switch 8 The upper part of the inner shell 43 with the exception of the fixed air passages 14 and the space 86 are filled with pieces of broken, flake lar damper 54 into the space 85. Air from the said space 85 is drawn by the said fan 18 and discharged through the air outlet grille ll into the room. The number of holes 88 in the plates 63 to 81, inclusive, are increased in number from the bottom to the top so as to maintain a uniform air velocity upward through the said plates, assuming that each horizontal space between the said plates has an equal amount of horizontal air movement due to the air entering the apparatus through the holes 41 being evenly distributed between the said plates 6| to 61, inclusive.

The ice water resulting from the melting ice and moisture absorbed from the air flows downward between the pieces of ice 50 and down the sides of the air passages 14 and is directed toward the center of the cabinet by the circular deflector N, then down over the notched drip edge 12 and divided into a series of small streams in order to increase the amount of surface exposed to the air stream, then horizontally over and vertically through the holes 81 and 88 in the said plates 62 to 61, inclusive, in a diagonal direction downwardly to the circular plate Bl, then radially outward to the edge of the said plate 9| and drips into the waste water tank 38, the diameter of the said plate 61 being slightly less than the diameter of the inside of the waste water tank 38. The purpose of the plates 92 to 81, inclusive, is to provide surface so that the air can directly and indirectly contact the ice water and transfer heat from the air to the ice water due to the difference in temperature, and transfer moisture from the air to the ice water, due to the differ- III ence in vapor pressure between the vapor in the air and the ice Water. The purpose of the large solid plate 6| is to present a large surface of ice water to the air and to prevent the air from directly contacting the waste water 89 in the waste water tank 38, which may have a temperature higher than that of the dew point or saturation temperature of the air and which may act as a humidifier under some conditions. Under nor-' mal conditions of operation the waste water 89 would be drained from the surface through the overflow pipe 39 and wasted to a sewer, the purpose being to waste the warmest water from the top surface and to keep the coldest water at the bottom of the waste water tank 38 in order to obtain the greatest amount of cooling from a given quantity of ice, the natural tendency being for the warmest water to rise to the top and the coldest water to settle to the bottom of the tank. This feature completes the counterflow action of air and ice, ice water and waste water. The lower drain 49 is for emptying the waste water tank 38.

Figure 1 shows the cylindrical damper 44 in a half closed position with the holes 41 in the inner shell 43 half closed.

Figure 10 shows the circular damper 54 in a half closed position with the holes 53 in the removable frame 52 half closed.

When the dampers 44 and 54 are closed all of the air will be drawn around the inner shell 43 and in indirect contact with the waste water, the ice water and the pieces of ice and only sensible heat will be removed from the air. With the lower damper open the air will have some direct and indirect contact with the ice water and some latent heat will be removed. With the upper damper open the air will have some direct contact with the ice and some latent heat will be removed. With the lower damper and upper damper open nearly all of the air will be drawn in direct and indirect contact with the ice water and in direct contact with the pieces of ice and a large amount of latent and sensible heat will be removed from the air. By varying the position of the two dampers and using the lower damper for opening first and closing last any degree of sensible heat or latent and sensible heat can be removed from the air and this proportion can be varied to suit conditions within the range of the apparatus.

The type and thickness of the insulation 48 can be determined from the conditions under which the apparatus is to operate. When producing comfort conditions in rooms having a temperature of 80 degrees and a relative humidity of 50 per cent the insulation 48 should be such that the air in the annular space 49 should not be cooled below 60 degrees temperature in order to remove sensible heat only. The amount of sensible heat removal can be regulated by varying the speed of the fan or by intermittent operation, automatically controlled or by hand operation of the switch.

When it is desired to produce extremely dry or extremely dry cold air for manufacturing processes or other uses, the container can be filled with brine ice having a melting temperature of minus six degrees Fahrenheit and the air can be cooled to near zero temperatures with dew point or saturation temperatures of minus ten degrees Fahrenheit.

It is to be understood that minor changes can be made in the invention to make it practical, including the substitution of compressed air or electric current in combination with thermostatic or humidostatic controls for automatically moving the dampers and for starting and stopping the motor and fan.

What I claim is:

1. Air conditioning apparatus, comprising a cabinet with openings near the bottom for the entrance of air and an opening in the top for the entrance of ice and for the exit of air, enclosing a container having an opening in the top for filling with pieces of ice and for the exit of air, a perforated bottom for draining the ice water, formed by the melting of the pieces of ice, and for the entrance of air, vertical air passages with perforated sides extending through the said container, an air space surrounding the said container, means for partially insulating the said container from the said air space, means for defiectingthe ice water toward the center of the said container, a series of horizontal plates below the said container having horizontal air inlets between the said plates and openings in the said plates staggered over each other to allow the ice water to flow downward, through and over the said plates and to allow the air to flow between, over and upward through the said plates, a tank below the said plates for collecting the waste ice water dripping from the said plates, means for drawing air into and upward through the cabinet in contact with the tank and either upward through the air space or between, over and through the plates in contact with the ice water and upward through the air passages of the container in contact with the pieces of ice, means for varying the proportions of the two flows of air, means for mixing the two flows of air and means for discharging the combined flow of air from the cabinet.

2. Air conditioning apparatus, comprising a cabinet with openings near the bottom for the entrance of air and an opening in the top for the entrance of ice and for the exit of air, enclosing a container having an opening in the top for filling with pieces of ice and for the exit of air, a perforated bottom for draining the ice water, formed by the melting of the pieces of ice, and for the entrance of air, vertical air passages with perforated sides extending through the said container, an air space surrounding the said container, means for partially insulating the said container from the said air space, means for deflecting the said ice water toward the center of the said container having an uneven drip edge for causing the ice water to drip in a series of small streams, a series of horizontal plates below the said container having horizontal air inlets between the said plates and openings in the said plates staggered over each other to allow the ice water to flow downward, through and over the said plates and to allow the air to flow between, over and upward through the said plates, a tank below the said plates for collecting the waste ice water dripping from the said plates, means for drawing air into and upward through the cabinet in contact with the tank and either upward through the air space or between, over and through the plates in contact with the ice water and upward through the air passages of the container in contact with the pieces of ice, means for varying the proportions of the two flows of air, means for mixing the two flows of air and means for discharging the combined flow of air from the cabinet.

3. Air conditioning apparatus, comprising a cabinet with openings near the bottom for the entrance of air and an opening in the top for the entrance of ice and for the exit of air, enclosing a container having an opening in the top for filling with pieces of ice and for the exit of air, a perforated bottom for draining the ice water, formed by the melting of the pieces of ice, and for the entrance of air, vertical air passages with perforated sides extending through the said container, an air space surrounding the said container, means for partially insulating the said container from the said air space, means for deflecting the ice water toward the center of the said container having an uneven drip edge for causing the ice water to drip in a series of small streams, a series of horizontal plates below the said container having horizontal air inlets between the said plates and openings in the said plates staggered over each other to allow the ice water to flow downward, through and over the said plates and to allow the air to flow between, over and upward through the said plates, a tank below the said plates for collecting the waste ice water dripping from the said plates,

a. solid plate for separating the said waste ice water from the air stream, means for drawing air into and upward through the cabinet in contact with the tank and either upward through the air space or between, over and through the plates in contact with the ice water and upward through the air passages of the container in. contact with the pieces of ice, means for varying the proportions of the two flows of air, means for mixing the two flows of air and means for discharging the combined flow of air from the cabinet.

4. Air conditioning apparatus, comprising a cabinet with openings near the bottom for the entrance of air and an opening in the top for the entrance of ice and for the exit of air, enclosing a container having an opening in the top for filling with pieces of ice and for the exit of air, a perforated bottom for draining the ice water, formed by the melting of the ice, and for the entrance of air, vertical air passages with perforated sides extending through the said container, an air space surrounding the said container, means for partially insulating the container from the air space, means for deflecting the ice water from the sides of the said container, having an uneven drip edge for causing the ice water to drip in a series of small streams, a series of horizontal plates below the said container having horizontal air inlets between the said plates and openings in the said plates staggered over each other to allow the ice water to flow downward, through and over the said plates, a tank below the said plates for collecting the waste ice water dripping from the said plates, a solid plate for separating the waste ice water from the air stream, an overflow pipe for draining the waste ice water from the top surface of the water in the said tank, means for drawing air into and upward through the cabinet in contact with the tank and either upward through the air space or between, over and through the horizontal plates in contact with the ice water and upward through the air passages of the container in contact with the ice, means for varying the proportions of the two flows of air, means for mixing the two flows of air and means for discharging the combined flow of air from the cabinet.

5. Air conditioning apparatus, comprising a cabinet with radial openings near the bottom for the entrance of air and an opening in the top for the entrance of ice and for the axial exit of air, enclosing a container having an opening in the top for filling with pieces of ice and for the exit of air, a perforated bottom for draining the ice water, formed by the melting of the ice, and for the entrance of air, vertical air passages with perforated sides extending through the said container, an air space surrounding the said container, means for partially insulating the container from the air space, means for deflecting the ice water from the sides of the said container having an uneven drip edge for causing the ice water to drip in a series of small streams, a series of horizontal plates below the said container having radial, horizontal air inlets between the said plates and openings in the said plates staggered over each other to allow the ice water to flow downward, through and over the said plates, a tank below the said plates for collecting the waste ice water dripping from the said plates, a solid plate for separating the waste ice water from the air stream, means for drawing air into the tank and either upward through the air space or between, over and through the horizontal plates in contact with the ice water and upward through the air passages of the container in contact with the pieces of ice, means for varying the proportions of the two flows of air, means for mixing the two flows of air and means for discharging the combined flow of air from the top of the cabinet.

6. Air conditioning apparatus, comprising a cabinet with radial openings near the bottom for the entrance of air and an opening in the top for the entrance of ice and for the axial exit of air, enclosing a container having an opening in the top for filling with pieces of ice and for the exit of air, a perforated bottom for draining the ice water, formed by the melting of the ice, and for the entrance of air, vertical air passages with perforated sides extending through the said container, an air space surrounding the said container, means for partially insulating the container from the air space, means for deflecting the ice water from the sides of the said container having an uneven drip edge for causing the ice water to drip in a series of small streams, a series of horizontal plates below the said container having radial, horizontal air inlets between the said plates and openings in the said plates staggered over each other to allow the ice water to flow downward, through and over the said plates, a tank below the said plates for collecting the waste ice water dripping from the said plates, a solid plate for separating the waste ice water from the air stream, an overflow pipe for draining the waste ice water from the top surface of the water in the said tank, means for drawing air into and upward through the cabinet in contact with the tank and either upward through the air space or between, over and through the horizontal plates in contact with the ice water and upward through the air passages of the container in contact with the pieces of ice, means for varying the proportions of the two flows of air, means for mixing the two flows of air and means for discharging the combined fiow of air from the top of the cabinet.

7. Air conditioning apparatus, comprising a cabinet with openings near the bottom for the entrance of air and an opening in the top for the entrance of ice and for the exit of air, enclosing a container having an opening in th top for filling with pieces of ice, a perforated bottom for draining the ice water, formed by the melting of the ice, an air space surrounding the said container, means for partially insulating the said container from the said air space, means for de fiecting the ice water from the sides of the said container, a series of horizontal plates below the said container having openings in the said plates staggered over each other to allow the ice water to flow downward, through and over the said plates, a tank below the said plates for collecting the waste ice water dripping from the said plates, means for drawing air into and upward. through the cabinet in contact with the tank and upward through the air space in contact with the partially insulated container and means for discharging the air from the cabinet.

8. Air conditioning apparatus, comprising a cabinet with openings near the bottom for the entrance of air and an opening in the top for the entrance of ice and for the exit of air, enclosing a container having an opening in the top for filling with pieces of ice, a perforated bottom for and upward through th cabinet in contact with drain ng the ice water, formed by the melting of the ice, an air space surrounding the said container, means for partially insulating the said container from the said air space, means for defleeting the ice Water from the sides of the said container, a series of horizontal plates below the said container having openings in the said plates staggered over each other to allow the ice Water to flow downward, through and over the said plates, a tank below the said plates for collecting the waste ice water dripping from the said plates, an overflow pipe for draining the waste ice water from the top surface of the water in the said tank, means for drawing air into and upward through the cabinet in contact with the tank and upward through the air space in contact with the partially insulated container and means for discharging the air from the cabinet.

9. Air conditioning apparatus, comprising a cabinet with openings near the bottom for the entrance of air and an opening in the top for the entrance of ice and for the exit of air, enclosing a container having an opening in the top for filling with pieces of ice and for the exit of air, a perforated bottom for draining the ice water, formed by the melting of the ice, and for the entrance of air, vertical air passages with perforated sides extending through the said container, an air space surrounding the said container, means for partially insulating the container from the air space, means for deflecting the ice water from the sides of the said container, having an uneven drip edge for causing the ice water to drip inv a series of small streams, a

series of horizontal plates below the said container having horizontal air inlets between the said plates and openings in the said plates staggered over each other to allow the ice water to flow downward, through and over the said plates, a tank below the said plates for collecting the waste ice water dripping from the said plates, a solid plate for separating the waste ice water from the air stream, means for drawing air into and upward through the cabinet in contact with the tank, between, over and through the horizontal plates in contact with the ice water and upward through the air passages of the container in contact with the ice, and means for discharging the air from the cabinet.

10. Air conditioning apparatus, comprising a cabinet with openings near the bottom for the entrance of air and an opening in the top for the entrance of ice and for the exit of air, enclosing a container having an opening in the top for filling with pieces of ice and for the eXit of air, a perforated bottom for draining the ice water, formed by the melting of the ice, and for the entrance of air, vertical air passages with perforated sides extending through the said container, an air space surrounding the said container, means for partially insulating the container from the air space, means for deflecting the ice water from the sides of the said container, having an uneven drip edge for causing the ice water to drip in a series of small streams, a series of horizontal plates below the said container having horizontal air inlets between the said plates and openings in the said plates staggered over each other to allow the ice water to flow downward, through and over the said plates, a tank below the said plates for collecting the waste ice water dripping from the said plates, a solid plate for separating the Waste ice water from the air stream, an overflow-pipe for draining the waste ice water from the top surface of the water in the said tank, means for drawing air into and upward through the cabinet in contact with the tank, between, over and through the horizontal plates in contact with the ice water and upward through the air passages of the container in contact with the ice, and means for discharging the air from the cabinet.

HIRAM JOSEPH KAUFMAN. 

